title: Right ventricular function computed by thermodilution and ventriculography. A comparison of methods.
abstract: Right ventricular ejection fractions have been difficult to estimate clinically. It has been recently suggested that right ventricular ejection fractions can be calculated by thermodilution techniques with a fast-response thermistor and computer. These studies were performed to compare right ventricular ejection fractions obtained from thermodilution and biplane ventriculography. Ten pigs were instrumented with a right ventricular angiographic, thermodilution, and systemic arterial catheter. Right ventricular ejection fractions were determined by thermodilution and ventriculography at four times: (1) baseline, (2) infusion of isoporterenol (5 micrograms/min), (3) 50% of baseline mean arterial pressure produced by hemorrhage, and (4) reinfusion of isoproterenol during hypovolemia. A significant correlation existed between thermodilution and ventriculographic ejection fractions (r = 0.74, p = 0.004). However, during hypovolemia, thermodilution measurements of right ventricular ejection fraction were significantly lower than ventriculographic measurements (p less than 0.05). To determine if the position of the thermistor had a significant effect on thermodilution computations, right ventricular ejection fractions were computed by thermodilution in 10 additional pigs by means of a jugular and femoral insertion, as well as by ventriculography in each pig. Femoral insertion resulted in a greater distance from pulmonic valve to thermistor as compared with jugular placement (p = 0.005). Right ventricular ejection fractions obtained from femoral placement were significantly less than those obtained by jugular insertion (p = 0.008) and ventriculography (p = 0.006). There was no significant difference between jugular and ventriculographic ejection fractions (p = 0.35). Results from these studies demonstrates that thermodilution right ventricular ejection fraction measurements are strongly correlated to ventriculographic methods over a wide hemodynamic range and that improved accuracy is obtained when the pulmonic valve to thermistor distance is minimized. Thus thermodilution may provide a simple and repeatable means to monitor right ventricular function in the critical care setting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Spinale
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Carabello
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D015635:Radionuclide Ventriculography; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013552:Swine; D013815:Thermodilution